


Don't Stop Believing

by team_mcmahon86



Series: Listen To Your Heart [4]
Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2020-01-25 01:41:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18561949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/team_mcmahon86/pseuds/team_mcmahon86
Summary: *Rewrite of Listen To Your Heart* Chicago and Northwestern had always been Libby Reagan's top choice for school . And now that  she is there she is finding out that she is much more then Libby Reagan, the youngest Reagan sibling and then the granddaughter of the police commissioner.  She is  just LibbyEventual Kelly Severide/OFC





	1. One

Listen To Your Heart  
Rewrite  
Summary: Libby Reagan comes to Chicago for school and meets Leslie Shay at a coffee shop. And the rest as they say is history  
Kelly Severide/Libby Reagan

One: Introduction  
Star Lounge Coffee Bar

Leslie Shay and her girlfriend Clarice were sitting in a corner of the coffee shop watching people come in and out of the warm building talking lowly to each other. Then a brunette came into the shop with a backpack on her shoulders and her eyes downcasted. It looked like she had the weight of the world on her already slumped shoulders. The girl went over to the counter and said a few words to the server before going over to the table that was by the window and sitting down, still not even looking all the way up.

“Go talk to her.” Clarice said lowly as she raised her coffee mug to her lips, she could see that that Shay wanted to go over to her and talk to her, that was the paramedic part of her, she wanted to help people out and save people. And this girl desperately needed both. Shay leaned over and pressed her lips against her cheek before she stood up and went over to where the girl was sitting. “Hi.” 

Libby Reagan startled and looked up quickly, “Hi.” She returned before lowering her eyes back down to the table to stare at the notebook that was ope. “I am Shay.’ She introduced pulling the chair opposite of where Libby was sitting. “Libby.” “You from around here?” “No, I am from Brooklyn.” She answered looking up at her finally. “What brings you to Chicago then?” “I am going to Northwestern. That was my grandma’s dream for me. My boyfriend hates it though.” Shay pulled a face, in her opinion men were nothing but trouble and from the sounds of it Libby’s boyfriend was the worst kind of trouble. “Why not break up with him then?” 

Libby pulled the sleeve of her jacket down covering her wrists and she licked her lips, “I tried but he didn’t want to me to end it.” 

The paramedic raised her eyebrow before glancing over at her girlfriend who looked back over at her concerned. “Well then, that is his problem, you are here now. And you don’t have to worry about a boyfriend. You are young and beautiful.” A blush covered Libby’s cheeks and Shay’s smile stretched across her face. “It’s true. You need to start believing it.” She picked up the pen that was attached to her notebook and scribbled her number on a napkin. “I have to go but give me a call sometime and we can hang out.” Surprised Libby took the napkin and nodded her head, “I will do that.” “See you around Libby.”  
**  
Once the blonde had left the building with the brunette she was with, Libby sank back against her chair and pulled her phone out texting her twin brother. She wanted to leave her boyfriend Michael, but it was hard. He wouldn’t let her leave in fact, he was planning on coming to Chicago and living with her while she was in school but she didn’t want that. She wanted to live her own life before they got married. 

A matter that Michael had assured her many time would happen. She didn’t want that, she didn’t want to be with him anymore. She didn’t know who she was when she was with him. She needed to find herself and be someone who she could see herself being down the line and right now. 

This wasn’t it. This wasn’t her, she didn’t want to be a housewife that stayed at home all the time, she wanted to be out helping people like her family did. Her counselor at school had referred her to the paramedic program. She already had her EMT certification and just needed on the job training and she would be set. But she was scared, scared of making the change only to be ripped away if and when Michael showed up. 

Libby tapped her finger against the notebook before picking up her phone, this Shay girl was right, she didn’t have to worry about Michael right now, she should be living her own life and doing the things she wanted. And she knew that her family especially her older brother Danny. He hated Michael and hated that Libby let herself get swept away. She didn’t need someone to control her life, that wasn’t the Reagan way. And their other siblings including Danny’s wife Linda agreed with him. But they needed to let Libby figure that out on her own. And all it took was a 5 minute long conversation with a blonde woman she didn’t know to set her right.


	2. Leap of Faith

A/N; Would anyone want to read the original version of this?

Part 2: Leap of Faith

"What are you smiling about?" Gabby Dawson asked her partner first thing the next morning as they stood changing into their uniforms, "Usually you are only that smiley if you have had a cup of coffee and you haven't yet." "I meet a girl yesterday when I was out with Clarice." "And?" Gabby asked raising her eyebrow as she hung her shirt up on the little hook in her locker.

"She is straight." Shay started with a laugh, "Her name is Libby and I was thinking she is perfect for Severide."

"Who would be perfect for Sev?" Matt Casey asked coming into their row sitting his bag down on the bench. "This girl Libby." Shay said pulling her phone out of her bag and pulling up the picture that Clarice had snuck of them talking, "She is in town for school. And she seems really sweet."

Matt peered at the phone and nodded his head, "Then introduce them." "I want too. And I will, I just have to wait for her to get into contact with me." "And hopefully she does. Someone needs to pull Severide out of his funk." Gabby muttered causing the other two to nod in agreement.

"Miss Reagan. Chief Nelson will see you now." The woman sitting at the desk said smiling at the burnette. "Thank you." She said standing up and smoothing her hand over the material of her skirt. She had taken what both her twin brother and Shay said to heart and decided to look into what it took to be a paramedic.

She already her EMT-A certification and was taking the classes towards her EMT-B one just in case she wanted to stop school and work. And that's how she was starting to feel right then, she needed a change and maybe doing this was exactly what she needed.

Shay's phone beeped several times in the cup holder of the ambo and she glanced at it quickly before looking back at the road, they were rushing to the ER with a patient and she couldn't look just then. But she had a good feeling that it was Libby and that she could finally introduce Kelly to someone that would hopefully improve his mood. Because he wasn't the Kelly that she was use too.

"Well?" Gabby asked once they were filling out paperwork. "It was her." She grinned, "And she is going to be our new paramedic in training." Gabby grinned, it wasn't very often that they got a new trainee and that was mostly because she and Shay were bad influences. "She needs us just as much as I think Kelly needs her. I think her boyfriend abuses her. She is terrified of even thinking about leaving him." The PIT frowned as she gathered the clipboard up, "Well then we will have to help her out that."

Two days later

Firehouse 51

"I know Jamie, I will be careful." Libby said into her phone as she sat in front of the firehouse, today was her first day at the firehouse and she was nervous, and her twin had taken upon himself to call her and try to talk her down.

"I know but sis, I worry about you.' '"I know, but I need to do this. This will be good for me."

"I wasn't just talking about that. You need to tell Dad about Michael.

"And have him get arrested for killing him? No. Jamie it's not worth it."

"But is your life worth it?"

Libby frowned she knew that Jamie was right, her life was worth more than what Michael treated her as. "I think about it okay? That's all I can promise right now. I just hope this is the right thing jumping into this without thinking all the way through it. "

"Lib. you thought about it, I know you made one of those stupid lists that you always make with the pro's and con's. This is good for you. And you said you liked that Shay girl right?"

"Yeah I do."

"Then take the leap, get out of the car and go into the building. And make some friends and have some fun."

"When did you get so smart?"

'Sis, I have always been smart. I got to go my class is starting soon. Call me tomorrow and let me know how its goes."

"I will." She muttered before hanging up the phone, she took a deep breath and got out of the car putting the strap of her bag on her shoulder as Shay came up to her quickly. "Libby! Welcome to 51."

"Hey Shay!" She grinned.

"You ready for this?"

"I think so. I hope so. I am a little nervous."

"Well come on sweetheart,let's get you inside and introduced to everyone. They will become like your family." Shay said.

The New Yorker nodded her head and took a deep breath, "Let's go."


	3. Nice to Meet You

Part 3: Nice to Meet You

"Chief Boden?" Libby asked knocking on the door to the chief's office door, "I am Libby Reagan, Chief Nelson told me to come and see you before the shift started. I am the new paramedic in training." Wallace Boden lowered his glasses and looked at the brunette that was standing in his doorway with Shay steps behind grinning. "Come on in." He said, "You too Shay." He had heard rumblings about the girl that Shay had befriended and how she wanted her to come work for the fire house. He just didn't think that she was actually going to do it. No one ever actually followed through when Shay thought. So he was interested to see who long this Libby would last, if she did at all.

Dawson and Shay had a reputation of being tough on paramedics in training and they always dropped out after a few shifts. But hopefully, Libby lasted.

Hopefully

**

"Libby, this is Matt Casey, Kelly Severide and Andy Darden." Shay said after she and Libby finished her meeting with Boden and she had lead her into the locker room. "Guys, this is Libby Reagan, our new paramedic in training." "It's nice to meet you guys. Shay has told me about you guys." Libby smiled, despite the butterflies in her stomach. "Hopefully only good things." Matt said as Kelly studied the girl closely. Sizing her up like he had every other person that came into the fire house.

"Of course, though she said to watch out for Hadley? That he would try hitting on me?" Libby returned, her smile brightening. Her stomach flipping over and over again when Kelly returned her smile. "He will. But just send him our way if he does." Andy answered for the trio, "We will make sure he won't bug you." "I don't think she needs much help." Shay said taking Libby's bag from her and putting it in the locker next to hers, "She is the youngest of 5 siblings and 3 of them are boys." "And my sister Erin hits harder then all 3 of my brothers combined."

Shay shook her head,in the few short days that they had been friends she had learned about her family and about her relationship with her siblings. From what she learned she was closest to her twin and oldest brothers Danny and Joe and her and Erin didn't have a relationship to speak of and it saddened Shay, she didn't know anyone so far that wouldn't want to know Libby or have a relationship with her.

*

"So what brought you to Chicago Libby?" Christopher Herrman asked as he watched Libby cut up some onion for the lunch that they were making. "I go to school at Northwestern." She replied glancing up at him. "And she wanted to get away from her boyfriend." Shay added from where she was leaning against the counter. "Boyfriend?" Joe Cruz asked raising an eyebrow. "Yes, boyfriend. Don't ask I don't like talking about it." She returned, "You can ask me about anything, my family, school, sports but he is off limits." "Why?" "Because he is an asshole. I would rather not have to talk about him." "Drop it Cruz." Casey said from where he was sitting. He had heard about Shay and Dawson's hunch about her boyfriend abusing her and he didn't want the men to carry on and scare Libby.

In the short few hours that she had been there, he always already seeing changes in Kelly and he wanted to keep Libby around for as long as he possibly could.


	4. Life Lessons

Part 4:Life Lessons

It had been a few months since Libby had joined the firehouse as the paramedic in training and she had made leaps and bounds in her personality and had started forming friendships with the others in the firehouse. 

Especially Kelly and Shay. She had grown so close to Kelly in fact that the rest of the rescue squad and firehouse were taking bets on when they would end up together and how long it would be before one of them hurt the other. From what they knew of Kelly’s history he was known for breaking hearts and not staying in a serious relationship. And Libby, she was in a serious relationship that could come back and rear its ugly head at any time. 

But for now they were all enjoying the light heartedness that had been in the firehouse.   
**  
“So you are liking the fire house?” Mary Reagan asked watching her youngest daughter cut up the potatoes that she had just peeled for their Sunday dinner. “I am loving it mom. It’s a lot of hard work but I like. Shay and Dawson are amazing and I am learning so much from them.” “And what about Kelly?” “Of course Jamie would tell you about him.” Libby said shaking her head, “But all he is a friend.” “You want to be more than friends with him don’t you?” 

“Mom!” Libby was so surprised that she had just said that usually she only talked boys with Erin and that was only once in awhile. Mary laughed and shook her head, her youngest son was right. Libby did have a crush on Kelly and it was only a matter of time before she acted on it. She was too much like her grandfather and older brother to not act on it.   
***  
“How was your trip home?” Andy asked as Libby came into the firehouse carrying a cup of coffee on Monday morning. “It was tiring.” She returned with a small smile, “But good.” “Did you see him?” Kevin asked as Kelly pulled her to sit down with him. “Nope, he was in the Hamptons with his parents. One reason why I went back last weekend compared to this weekend. I didn’t want to see him. He wasn’t happy with me telling him I thought we should take a break.”   
“When did you do that?” Casey asked joining them, he was surprised that she had actually told her boyfriend that. “Two weeks ago, he called me when I was at school and I just went off. He wanted me to quit working here and quit school to go back home and get married.” Libby returned as she took another sip of her coffee, “I don’t want to give up my life just because he is unhappy that I am here and making friends.”

Michael had control her life in high school and they were 4 of the most lonely years of her life. She had no friends, no social life. He didn’t even like it when she went and played softball. And she was tired of him controlling it, she was actually happy now, she had friends who hung out with her while she did her homework and was too young to go out and party like the rest of them. It made her happy that they treated her like she was one of them and apart of their family. 

“And you shouldn’t have to Lib.” Shay said, “no woman should have to answer to a man.” “You sound like my sister.” Libby laughed, “Oh!” Her hazel lit up excitedly as she sat up straight on Kelly’s lap, “I didn’t tell you last night! But Erin and Jack are having problems!” “Why is that a good thing?” Hermman asked folding his arms across his chest not impressed by her excitement at her sister having problems in her marriage.   
“Because Jack is a world class douche and the reason why I don’t like lawyers.” “And Erin.” Andy added. “That’s a given.” Kelly muttered, of the few short phone calls that he heard between the sisters he wasn’t a fan of the older Reagan girl and the way she talked to Libby.

Her return comment was cut off by the alarms going off overheard. “Ambulance 61. Person down from unknown causes. 14th and Main.” “Let’s go Reagan.” Dawson said as she came out of the common room area. Shaking her head Libby stood up from her perch on Kelly’s lap and followed Dawson and Shay to the ambo.   
**  
“Otis! Don’t!” Libby laughed pushing the Russian away from her several hours later. They were washing the rigs and he decided to start spraying at her. 

“Don’t what? I am not doing anything.” Libby raised her own hose and sprayed him back. 

“Hey!’ 

“I don’t play fair Otis.” She sprayed him again. “Watch it Lib, I will get you back.” “Bring it Otis.” She grinned. “Can I help you?” Otis asked turning his attention away from Libby to the man that just walked up the driveway. 

“I am here to see her.” Michael O’Malley said pointing his finger at his girlfriend who turned around and froze. “I don’t want to see you. I don’t you we were done. I need space, I don’t want to be with you right now.” She said. 

“Well too bad.” 

“Hey pal, she said she didn’t want to see you. Why don’t you leave?” Otis said. 

‘No,” Michael returned, “Come on now Elizabeth this is quite enough.” 

When Libby didn't move he stepped forward and grasped her wrist in his hand tightly, a pained whimper escaped her lips. “Hey! Let her go now!” Otis shouted trying to get between them. Michael kept a firm grip on Libby’s wrist and pulled her towards him, her shin banging against the bucket that was in front of her. “Hey man! Seriously let her go! She doesn’t want to go!” 

 

The shouts brought the rest of 51 rushing out.

“Hey! Let her go!” Casey said as Otis got her free of her boyfriend’s grip and pushed her towards Dawson and Shay. The safest place for her to be right at that moment. “Are you okay?” Shay asked hugging her to her side, she had adopted Libby as her own pet project and had considered her like she was her best friend. Sister even. Libby nodded her head numbly. “I want him to leave. “ she said softly as Kelly pushed him away from her. “I don't want to see him again.” “You heard her! Go! “ the taller man said as the chief came out. He saw the panic look on Libby's face and how she was holding onto Shay.

“You need to leave now. “ Michael flattered seeing how angry he was. There was only one other person who scared him like that and that was Libby's father Frank. “This isn't over Elizabeth. Not by a long shot.” He backed away and Libby released a breath and turned into Shay for several minutes before going over to Otis and hugging him. 

“Thank you Brian.” He hugged her back, “ no need to thank me Lib. None at all.” Libby nodded her head as she turned around that fear she had had been replaced with hope and contentment, she had a new family that would protect her and help her get away from Michael. And that was exactly what she needed.


	5. Scare Tactics

Part 5: Scare Tactics 

“You really dated that guy?” Kevin Hadley asked once they were all in the common room and Libby was curled up on the couch resting against Kelly’s side. “Yeah. He was different in highschool. Mostly because we went to a private Catholic school. And we constantly had nuns and priests around to make sure we didn’t anything stupid.” Cruz and Otis both looked at her surprised, she could almost see the wheels turning in their heads.

“Yes I had to wear the uniform. And the skirt never went higher than my knees. Sister Mary Clarence use to say the shorter the skirt the longer the confession. And being the daughter of a police officer and the granddaughter of the police commissioner. That skirt stayed long.” “And now?” Otis asked, he couldn’t help himself, Libby interested them all. And the longer that she was with them, the more she became animated. She smirked and rested her head against Kelly’s shoulder. “Oh come on Lib!”

“No comment.” She was comfortable with them. But she wasn’t that comfortable with them. “But why not dump him sooner than this?” Kevin questioned again, his eyes on the burnette. “I couldn’t Hadley. I tried but he ended up abusing me more.” She said as Kelly glared at Hadley. 

This was the last thing that any of them wanted to deal with. It was bad enough that Libby was shaking like a leaf on a tree and was probably scared to death, and Hadley was just making it so much worse.

“The only reason why I felt confident doing it now is because of you guys.” She said softly as Kelly rubbed his fingers over her shoulder, “I know you won’t let anything happen to me.” “How about this.” Shay suggested as she dropped herself down on the arm of the couch near where Libby and Kelly were at. “How about you come spend a couple of nights with Kelly and I?’ Libby glanced up at Kelly who smirked at her, he was going to suggested it himself but Shay had beat him to the punch. “Okay.’ She agreed, “It could be fun. Sides my roommates are kind of a pain in the ass.” She had to live with several other girls that she had met her first semester and they weren’t happy about the decisions Libby had made since she joined the fire department.   
**  
Michael wasn’t happy when he parked his rental car in front of Libby’s apartment building, he came down here to talk some sense into her and have her come back to Brooklyn where she belonged and by his side. But she had changed, she wasn’t the same Libby he had started dating. She was different, she was more confident, happy and settled. 

Something she hadn’t been with him. He knew that the firefighters and paramedics were the ones to blame for it. Filling her head with silliness. That she didn’t need to have him in her life to survive that she couldn’t just fine on her own. And the truth was she couldn’t. 

She needed him. 

And he needed her. There was no if’s, ands or buts about it. They were made for each other. And sooner Libby remembered that the better.   
**  
“She is cheating!” Hadley exclaimed later that night as they sat around the table playing poker before their next call came through. “I am not Kevin.” Libby grinned, “I am just good. If anything its Otis and Cruz who are cheating.” “Hey!” Otis complained throwing a broken up cookie at her, “We don’t cheat.” 

“Yeah, ya do.’ Kelly laughed as Libby threw the cookie back at him and stuck at her tongue childishly. 

The mood had drastically changed when they came back from the fire, Libby had seemed to have forgotten about Michael and him showing up at the firehouse. She was back to being their Libby. And then her phone beeped on the table several times and she sighed. “Its from Vanessa.” Vanessa was one of Libby’s roommates and one that didn’t support Libby being a paramedic or hanging out all the time with the people she worked with. She read the message and put her cards down face first on the table. 

“Lib?” Casey asked looking at her, “Everything okay.” “No. He is at my apartment, he broke in.” She answered. 

“What?”

She wordlessly handed her phone over to him and covered her face with her hands. Matt read the screen and muttered several curses under his breath before handing it to Kelly who read it and met his friend’s eyes. “Stay here, we will be back.” Kelly said as he stood up.

“What are you doing?” Libby asked finally finding her voice. “We are going to take care of this.” He said as the rest of the rescue squad stood up. “Kelly.’ He leaned over her chair and brushed his lips first against her forehead then her lips.

“We need to take care of this Libby. He isn’t going to be messing with you anymore.” She nodded her head as Dawson and Shay joined her at the table. 

“What’s going on?” Boden asked coming into the common room. “Her ex broke into her apartment.” Casey answered as Kelly muttered a few words to Tony and Capp, he wanted them to stay behind and keep an eye on the girls. Boden frowned and nodded his head before following them out of the room.   
**  
Michael was standing in Libby’s bedroom holding a framed picture of them that he had found in her closet buried under sweaters and long sleeves shirts. Her roommates, Vanessa, Georgia and Carlie were sitting on her neatly made bed watching him pace back and forth. The latter looking unhappy that this man was in her apartment and giving them a hard time for Libby leaving him. 

Not that she really blamed her, she had pieced together the horror story that the older girl had been living in New York and how much more alive she had been since she had been working in the fire house and how much she liked Kelly. Hell she was even sure that if she wasn’t with Michael she would admit to being in love with him. And she had seen Kelly picking up Libby at school or at their apartment and the way they looked at each other just made her smile and a little jealous that she didn’t have anyone like that yet. 

Maybe one day. 

The front door swinging open startled Michael out of his thoughts. “Elizabeth?” He called causing Carlie and Georgia to shake their heads, the New York was still on duty for another 6 hours. 

So it wasn’t her. 

When he didn’t get an answer, he went into the living room and froze seeing half of the fire fighters from Firehouse 51 standing in the living room. “You need to leave Libby alone. She isn’t yours anymore.” Michael laughed when he realized that it was Kelly that spoke. “You think that now. But she can’t live without me.’ 

“You are wrong.” Otis said from where he was standing in the back of the living room, his arms folded, “She has been living just fine without you. She is happy and she is doing great things.” You could almost see the pride in most of their faces, they were so proud of Libby and how far she had come. Casey looked at Mouch and Andy, “Go get her some clothes from her room, she isn’t coming back here.” He muttered as he put a hand on Kelly’s shoulder to help keep him calm, he was minutes from losing his cool and beat the hell out of him. 

Michael laughed and shook his head, “You think you can keep her happy hm Severide?” He had flipped through Libby’s journal and read about her crush on him and from what he had seen with the brief time he was at the firehouse, it was obvious that he felt the same. “Yeah I do.” He scoffed, “Stay away from her.”

“Or what are you going to do about it?”

It was Christopher Hermman that spoke up from where he was standing next to Boden, “The same thing you have done to her. Beat you up, break your spirit.” “And maybe even hide a dead body if we need too.’ Mouch added as he came out of the room carrying one of Libby’s overnight bags and one of her blankets. “You wouldn’t dare.” Michael laughed. “You are forgetting one thing. You aren’t in New York anymore, you are in Chicago. They aren’t going to care if a punk ass like you goes missing..”


	6. Far From Over

Part 6: Far From Over

“You sure you are okay?” Gabby asked moving to sit next to Libby while they waited for the firefighters to back. “I am okay, promise.” she returned her eyes back to the TV that was playing reruns of I Love Lucy.“Besides I think Michael is a little scared of Chief and the guys.” “why do you say that?” Shay asked. 

“Because Michael’s sister Mary called me and told me as much. That and he thought that Kelly was my new boyfriend.” she answered, “They all think I am a hussy for “cheating” on Michael. And that I needed to go to confession.” 

Shay rolled her eyes as she dropped on her other side.

“What exactly happened with you and him?” Libby licked her lips and stared at the screen for several long minutes before speaking, “He wanted things that I didn’t.” “Sex?” Gabby asked.

The New Yorker nodded her head, “And trust me I tried to say no and fight him off.” “Did he?” Shay was glad that Gabby was asking the questions because she didn’t think she could handle the answers on her own.

“Yeah. first time it happened I was sixteen.” “Why not report it? Your dad and grandpa are cops.” “I didn’t want them to go to jail for me.” She returned. 

“Oh honey, you are worth it. No matter what that son of a bitch or your bitch sister says.” Shay squeezed her shoulders and looked at the PIT. “Trust me it's harder than it looks.’ Libby returned before the rest of her words were cut off but the alarm going off. 

“Ambulance 61, Squad 3, Truck 81, engine 51. Battalion 25 high rise fire. 18th and main.” 

“Let’s go we have lives to save and for now its not mine.” She said as she stood up and ran her palms over her thighs.  
**  
Kelly glanced over at Libby once he and the rest of the company got there, she was completely calm as she talked to a young girl who was standing there trembling. She glanced over her head and nodded her head at him once to let him know she was okay before returning her attention back to the girl in front of her. 

“She’s fine Severide.” Tony said, “She sat on the couch and watched I Love Lucy while you were gone.” He paused as he took his helmet off of his head to pull on his mask. “I just hope you kill the son of a bitch if there’s a next time.”   
Kelly nodded his head, he had a feeling of what really happened between Libby and Michael and he had been glad that the rest of the firehouse had went with him to talk to him. If he would have went alone, it would have been alot worse. 

He would have killed him. 

Maybe Shay was right, maybe Libby was the girl for him.   
**  
Michael was still smarting after he left Libby’s apartment. He couldn’t believe that Libby had gotten to those firefighters so much that they left their firehouse to come threaten him.

Him of all people! They didn’t understand just how powerful he and his friends were. What damage they could to them. What damage they could do to Libby. Damage that he really didn’t want to do but that she deserved it. She never listened and now. Now she was going to pay. 

He parked his car in front of the firehouse and next to the small Honda that Libby drove. Shaking his head he got out of the car and then took out the baseball bat that he had taken from her room. He took several deep breaths then hit the bat against the glass of the windshield and the drivers side window. 

Taking satisfaction in the crunches of the broken glass. 

“This is far from over Elizabeth.”


	7. Distance

Part 7: Distance

“Hey Lib, what happened to your car?” Joe Cruz asked as Libby got out of the back of the ambo. 

“What do you mean?” She asked confused as she followed him around the ambulance towards the parking and her heart dropped seeing the shattered windows. 

“The hell? He didn’t.” She shoved her bangs out of her eyes and took a deep breath. 

“Did he do this?” Matt asked coming up behind her and putting his hand on her shoulder. Libby nodded her head numbly, she couldn’t believe that the would go this far. And only to hurt her. She had worked so hard throughout their junior and senior years to get that car and he destroyed without a second thought. 

“We need to call the cops.” Cruz said folding his arms over his chest.

“No.” She said firmly, “It won’t do any good. It hasn’t in the past. So why would it change now?” 

“Because this is Chicago.” Gabby commented, “And my brother won’t take kindly to people messing with my friends and their stuff.” She already had her phone in her hand and texting him. “Besides, he's probably back in New York by now.” 

“Still, if he comes back we will have some sort of evidence against him. You have that notebook right?” Shay questioned, she was furious, she wanted nothing more than to track this guy down and hurt him the way he had been hurting Libby and for him to do this after the boys threatened made that much worse. She wondered exactly what he had done to her before Shay and Clarice met her and just how broken she was. 

“Yeah it's in my locker, I never leave it anywhere were he could find it.” Libby returned as Kelly came up to them and pulled her back into his arms, “My pops taught me better than that.” “Okay, well get it out Antonio is coming over and he is going to want to look at it.” Gabby added, “He won’t let you get hurt again. I promise.” “Do me a favor Gabby, don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Libby muttered, the Special Victims Units Detectives that worked her case the first time around and promised that and Michael walked free.

And right back into her life and reporting made it so much worse.   
**  
“Hey, where’s my sister at?” Antonio asked as he walked into the station house and seeing the firefighters sitting around the table.

“She is the bunk room with Shay, Libby, Casey and Severide.” Otis answered from where he was sitting at the table playing a card game with Cruz, Tony, Capp and Andy. 

Antonio nodded his thanks and went back to the bunk room where the other group was at and paused, his sister and her partner were sitting on a bed with a worn journal on their laps, while a small burnette was sitting between the two leaders staring at her hands and chipped polish. 

“Hey sis. What exactly happened?” he asked walking over to the group. Gabby looked up and offered him a tense smile before motioning to the small girl, “This is Libby, its her boyfriend that is causing problems.” 

“Hi.” Libby offered up not moving Kelly or Casey’s side. It was obvious to him that she felt safe with them. “And he’s actually my ex boyfriend. I broke it off with him a couple of weeks ago.” 

Antonio nodded his head as he took out a notebook and sat down on the bed next to his sister. “He was furious of course, if I can’t have her then no one can type of thing.” Libby said as Kelly pulled her closer to his side, as if having her that close to him would keep her safe. And Casey inched closer to her free side to keep her between them. They all had the same thought. Protect Libby, no matter what.   
***  
“What do you mean you were dumped by Libby?” Mariam O’Malley asked her second youngest son who just entered their house.

“Just that. She started working at this firehouse as a paramedic and they have influenced her into changing, she wasn’t the same Libby that I started dating.” He complained sitting on the couch with a huff. 

“I don’t think that is true.” Michael’s younger sister Mary said, “I talked to her the other day, she seemed happy, she has friends and is doing something that makes her happy. I think that is all that should matter.” 

Michael rolled his eyes, he really didn’t care what his sister thought, only his opinion mattered. 

“Maybe it's for the best.” Michael’s father Mitchell said, “Libby wasn’t good enough for you. She made the choice to go to Northwestern. She wanted to get away from you. And from her family. You don’t need her. You could so much better then Libby Reagan.” 

His son nodded his head even though he was starting to plan out how to scare Libby back into his arms.   
**  
Three Days Later   
Kelly and Shay’s Apartment  
**  
Carlie Rhodes was trembling when she knocked on the front door of Kelly and Shay’s apartment, she had been asked by Libby to bring by some of her stuff so she didn’t have to go back to their apartment. She didn’t blame Libby at all for wanting to stay away from there, she would have done the same thing. And as far as she was cared the safest place for Libby was either at the firehouse or at this apartment with Kelly and Shay. 

But as she was leaving to come drop the stuff off at the apartment, Libby had a delivery from Michael and her curiosity got the best of her and she peaked into the box and saw the dead roses and pictures. Pictures that she wished she never saw.

“Hey Carlie, come on in.” Shay said pulling open the door, “Libby will be down in a minute.” Carlie nodded her head and stepped into the apartment, her eyes downcast. “Everything okay?” “No, Libby got a package and it’s from Michael.” 

All color drained from Shay’s face as she turned on her heel and went to the spiral staircase. 

“Kelly! Libby! Get down here now!”


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8: Harassment.

“What? What’s wrong?” Kelly asked as he and Libby both came down the spiral staircase, the paramedic was behind holding onto Kelly’s hand like it was a life line.

“Libby got a package from Michael.” 

“What?” Libby asked her grip tightening on Kelly’s hand. 

“It was delivered to the apartment before I left.” Carlie said, she was truly terrified for her friend now, first this man abused her, then showed up in Chicago, Libby’s safe place, after she dumped him and tried to hold Carlie and others hostage until the paramedic came home. 

And now this.

It wasn’t fair. 

“Let me see it.” Libby muttered. “No not until Antonio comes here and sees it.” Shay said putting down her phone on the counter top, “this is harassment.”

“And it’s nothing new. He has done this before.” The New Yorker said her voice and body trembling, “he used to do it when I was living in the dorms. I tried to break up with him one time in high school and he about threw me down the stairs at St. Angelos.” 

Kelly tugged on her hand and pulled her into his arms, they should have done more to threaten him. They didn’t scare him enough, if he was still doing this. “We aren’t going to let him do this to you anymore.” 

Libby shook her head as she pressed her cheek against his chest, they were all making promises to her that she knew that weren’t going to be able to keep. They didn’t know Michael like she did. They didn’t know what he could do.   
**  
“Michael contacted Libby again.” Gabby said as she sat down at the table, “She, Kelly and Shay are going to be late, they are meeting with Antonio.” “That poor kid.” Hermman said shaking his head, “Did they say what happened?”

“No, Shay sounded upset.” The Latina went on, “She has been having nightmares the last couple of nights. Kelly and Shay, they know everything that happened with Libby and Michael.” “Is Libby come in?” Otis asked as he sat down across from Gabby. “I think so, she wants to focus on work and not on Michael.” “And then we will make sure that we will do that.” Boden said from the doorway as he folded his arms over his chest, “No one is to mention Michael unless she does.” “Got it Chief.” They all muttered. The problem was, they all wanted to question Libby about Micheal and wanted to find out the truth. But they knew that they couldn’t press her to talk about it. She would shut herself down fast. And none of them wanted that.   
At all.  
\--  
Michael’s phone beeped several times on his nightstand and he grinned. He knew it was Libby, he knew that she wouldn’t be able to stay away from him long. 

She never could. 

But it wasn’t Libby. It was an unknown Chicago number. 

“Leave her alone. She isn’t yours anymore.” 

Michael rolled his eyes and laughed bitterly, it was probably that firefighter that she had been gushing to her twin brother about a few weeks ago. He would need to know that he wasn’t giving up on Libby that easily. And he wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

And what he wanted, he got. 

**

Antonio watched Libby pace the length of the kitchen, her arms folded tight across her chest in efforts to keep herself from falling apart. “Have you thought about contacting your brother to see if he could do anything?”

“Danny?” She asked with a trembling laugh, “No, he would kill Michael, and I don’t want him going to jail. It’s not worth it.” “Yes it is.” Kelly argured, he was sitting at the table as well, his eyes on her. They hadn’t left her since she had pulled herself from his side. “I am not worth it Kelly. ‘Sides I am not Erin, Danny won’t drop everything for me.’ 

“You are worth it Libby, no matter what you think.” Shay said from her spot on the counter. She was dead set on helping her beat that out of her head. She was worth it and so much more and she just had to believe it. 

Antonio sighed and sat up straight his hands cupping the coffee mug that was in front of him. “There is a cop that we can reach out to here, if he ever comes here again that we can reach out too.” Libby turned on her heel and looked at him. “His name is Voight and he is the gang unit.’ “Is he an old school cop?” Antonio nodded his head. “Okay.” She blew a breath out of her mouth, ‘If he does this again, I will reach out to my brothers.”


	9. Hope

Part 9:Hope   
“Why won’t he let this go?” Libby asked as she pushed back her bangs, she was in the backseat of Kelly’s mustang her duffel bag clutched close to her side.

“I came here to be free and be someone other than Libby Reagan. The grand daughter of the New York City police department, the little sister of Danny. Joe, Erin and Jamie. I was always that.” Kelly glanced in the rear review mirror at her.

“Here, I am Libs. And I like it.” She sniffed back her tears, “I like who I am becoming. I can be proud of who I am. I have friends. I haven’t had friends since my sophomore year in high school.”

“Lib.” Shay started as she twisted around in her seat and grabbed ahold of her hand. 

“I like being a paramedic. I like being with you two. I don’t have to be afraid of who I am here. Why can’t he let this go?” She muttered squeezing Shay’s hand.

Kelly put his car in park in front of the station house and looked into the backseat at her. “He will let it go eventually and you are still going to be able to be Libs here. We are going to protect you Libby.” Libby raises her eyes to look at him and nodded her head. The safest place for her to be was right there, at the firehouse surrounded by a team of firefighters and paramedics and she really wanted to believe that they would protect her. But Michael, he won’t let this, let her go not for anything in the whole world.   
**  
Will Halstead downed a shot and shook his head at Michael’s complaints. “Just let her go man, she left you for a reason.” He wasn’t going to admit that he had all but told her to go to Chicago, in fact he had helped her pack everything up and loaded it up into the honda and drove down there with her and then caught the train back up to the city. He had seen the way that he had treated her and how much she wanted to break free and be her own person. 

“Why is everyone telling me that?” Michael spat as he poured another shot into the glass that was in front of him. “She was the perfect girl for me. And she has the connections with the police department. 

The med student shook his head, “She wouldn’t do anything to help you out of trouble, her father and grandfather have taught her better than that. Hell she wouldn’t even help me out of trouble when she found out that I was through in the drunk tank.” He had called her the week before she left, from the holding cell and she had laughed at him and told him to deal with it and she would be there to pick him up in the morning. “Just let her go.” He said before standing up from the bar stool, “She is moving on. So should you. And that’s all I am gonna say about it.”   
**  
Joe and Otis had taken it upon themselves to try and cheer up Libby who was sitting on the couch curled into Kelly’s side. “Oh come on! Libby, there has to be something you are looking forward too.” “Um.” She looked thoughtful, “I turn 21 in December.” 

The two exchanged a look and grinned at each other then at Libby, “Let us plan your party.” Startled she looked at Kelly then at the two, she had always planned on going home for her 21st birthday and celebrating with her twin brother and their family. But at this point it was better and safer for her to stay in Chicago and stay with them. “Okay. Just nothing too out of control.” She agreed pointing her finger between the two. “I have heard horror stories from my older siblings from their 21st birthday weekends.” 

“Don’t worry about anything Lib, we got you.” She laughed softly and groaned when her phone rang. 

She shifted her position and grinned seeing Will’s name flashing on the phone, “Hey troublemaker! Long time!”

She was thrilled, ever since she met Will Halstead, it had been an instant friendship and he fully supported her in her decision.

His familiar laughter filled her ear, “You are trouble not me.” 

“Last time I checked you were the one that has been arrested for being drunk in public. Not me.” 

“Hush.”

Libby stood up and stepped out of the common room where it was a little more quiet. “What’s up? You never call.” 

“I saw Michael today. Said you broke up with him.” 

“I did, I finally had enough. He showed up at the firehouse and grabbed me.” She said as she leaned against the wall, “They all came out and protected me. Then he went to my apartment and broke in.” 

“Jesus. Are the girls okay?” He knew all about her roommates and her crush on Kelly.

“Yes, they are fine, I am not staying there, I am staying with Kelly and Shay for the time being.” She returned, “He isn’t letting me go.”   
Will wanted to question Libby on why she was staying with the two, and if anything had happened between her and Kelly. But he held off, right now they both had a bigger fish to worry about. And that was Michael. He was worried that he was going to try and hurt Libby more than what she already was. 

“I know I just want you to be careful. He seemed like he wanted to go down there again.” 

“I will try and be careful Will.” The alarm blaring calling for their whole battalion stopped her short, “I got to go, I will text you later.” “Come on Reagan, shake a leg.” Shay called as the rest of the firehouse started rushing to the rigs. Libby shook her head and shoved her phone back into her pocket. “Here goes nothing.’ She muttered to herself as she followed them to the ambulance.   
***  
Shay kept glancing over to where Libby was at squatting down in front of one of the victims, she was worried about her friend, worried that Michael was going to push it too far and all the progress that Libby had made would be nothing, that she would be the sad meek little girl that she was before. 

She wasn’t going to let that happen. 

Not by a long shot.


	10. Moving On

Part 10: Moving On

 

“Stop staring. I’m fine.” Libby muttered looking up from her book. “I am fine.” Kelly had came out of the officers quarters and was looking at her. 

“I know.” He returned offering her a smile before he came around the wall and sitting down on the end of her bed. 

“Then why such an intense look?” 

He shook his head, he didn’t want to let her know how much he and Shay were worried about her and worried about what would happen if Michael ever came back into her life. 

“You really think I believe that?” She asked placing her finger in the book to save her place. Kelly didn’t answer her right away, he just looked at her. “What?” Her free hand reached up and rubbed across her face worried that she had something. 

“Nothing.’ He laughed reaching his hand out and taking her hand in his. “I was thinking. That we should go out.”

“Go out? We go out all the time.” 

“Not with Shay. With just the two of us.”

“Like a date?” Her eyes lit up at the thought, “I haven’t been on a date in a long, long time.” 

“Then tomorrow night you and I will go out.” He said as her fingers fell between his comfortably. 

She smiled before licking her lips and speaking, “I talked to my mom earlier.” 

“And?” 

“She and my dad wants to come out and visit.” 

“Do they know that you are staying with us?”

Libby nodded her head, “They aren’t happy but they know the safest place for me to be there with you and Shay. I finally told my dad what happened when you and Shay went out last night.” 

She had finally felt confident enough to actually let him know what was going on. At first he had been very quiet and then he got mad and wanted to go after Michael himself. But with her protests he agreed to hold off until Michael tried something again.

“How?” Kelly’s question was cut off by the alarm going off, “Squad 3, Ambulance 61. Person in the water.” 

He pulled her to her feet as she dropped the book onto the bed. Nervous butterflies filled her stomach, this was her first water rescue scene and she was nervous, she had only ever heard stories about them from Kelly and the other members of the rescue squad. And they always had her stomach flipping nervously, this is why she was a paramedic, she couldn’t handle the stress of going into the fire or into the water.   
**  
“Hey Voight!” Antonio called seeing the gang unit cop coming out of the social club, he had decided after seeing Libby that morning and see the flowers and pictures, that he needed to get to Voight in on this. 

“Dawson, what can I do for you?” He asked pausing in putting his sunglasses on. 

“A paramedic at House 51 has a problem.’ 

The man was still quiet as he looked at him, he wondered why he cared so much. 

“She is the granddaughter and daughter of police officers in New York. And her ex boyfriend is causing a lot of problems.” 

Voight released a heavy breath before nodding his head, the police no matter what state they were in were a brotherhood. And if you mess if one cop’s kid. It was like messing with their own kid. “What do you need me to do?” Antonio handed him the file that he had started to compile for Michael. “She doesn’t want to tell her family what happened yet because she doesn’t want them going to jail for her.”   
He wasn’t going to tell Voight all what Libby and Gabby had told him, it was the time or place yet. But if he tried anything again, they would have to let Voight know even if it upset Libby even more than what she was.   
**  
“Hey man, relax.” Libby said to the man who had been waiting for them nearing the rescue squad, “Let them do their jobs.’ 

“Shut up.” The man hissed turning to look at her. 

“Look, we are just trying to help you and your friend. And you doing this is putting not only your friend at risk but them. Do you want that?” For the first time in a long time she felt confident and ready to help talk people off the ledge. 

The man shook his head frowning. “Then back up and let them work. Please.” Still wearing the frown, he took steps back to where Boden was standing watching the rescue squad work. 

Smiling to herself Libby walked over to where her friends were standing, “So Kelly asked me out.” Both girls turned to look at her surprised and then at each other with a smirk. “What did you say?” Dawson prodded resting her forearms on the stretcher, her dark eyes on Libby who grinned.

“You said yes?” Shay asked as she grabbed ahold of her friend’s forearm. 

“Yeah. I mean is it wrong that I said yes with the same Michael thing going on?” “No, you need to be happy and I am pretty sure that Kelly will make you happy.” The blonde paramedic said with a grin, she knew this was coming and she had been waiting for it to happen. 

One of them at least should be in a serious relationship, and it should be Kelly. And if anyone deserved to be happy it was Libby and Kelly.   
***  
“What’s up kiddo?” Hermmann asked sitting down on the couch next to Libby who had her leg tucked under her and her book open in her lap again. “Just a little homesick.” She answered, “I talked to my parents yesterday, they were going shopping for Sunday dinner.”

“Sunday dinner?” Mouch asked from her other side. 

Libby nodded her head, “Yep, every Sunday we would go to mass together and then to my parents house for dinner. The Reagan women would make dinner. Except for on the Sunday before my and Jamie’s birthday, I am exempt from cooking.”

“Does your brother in law go too?” Otis asked moving his chair closer to the couch so he could be included in the conversation. “Sadly, yes.” “Why don’t you like him?” Capp asked from his spot at the table. Libby twisted in her seat and looked at him, “Because one he cheated on my sister three weeks before they got married. And two he is a lawyer and therefore a douchebag.” 

“Wait he cheated on Erin and still married her?” Gabby asked, “Why didn’t you tell anyone?” “Oh Joe and Danny knew. But they told me not to worry about it. That they would handle it. And trust me I have wanted to out it and make my sister miserable like she made me miserable but I have stopped myself every time.” She shifted her position and pulled her vibrating phone out of her pocket and rejected it the call seeing that it was Michael. She was done. She was moving on. 

And that was that.


End file.
